“I still stand by what I said at the time that I was not given enough time at United to succeed or fail.”

“I think there was nothing wrong with how we worked and everyone can see that whoever is in charge at Manchester United, it is quite a long job to do things. Nine months would never be enough time for any manager.”

Ferguson gave a damning description of Moyes’ time at Old Trafford by claiming that the former Everton boss never quite realized what it meant to manage a club like United.

“He hadn’t realised just how big United is as a club.”

Ferguson also washed his hands off the Chosen One by claiming that it wasn’t his lone decision to appoint Moyes as his successor.

“Surely people don’t really believe the Glazer family would allow the new manager to be chosen by on person. There appears to be an accepted view out there that there was no process. Nonsense. We feel we did everything the right way: quietly, thoroughly, professionally.”

However Moyes believes that he was the right man to rebuild Manchester United and was simply not given enough time. He also claimed that Van Gaal now must be treated with patience, hinting that he himself was never given that luxury.

Will Van Gaal be given the time that was denied to Moyes?

“I do think that most real football people understood that there would be a period of transition at Manchester United when you take over from Sir Alex. I always believed I was the right person for the job and I still believe that is the case. But Louis van Gaal now has to be given the time to do the job.”

Meanwhile Moyes also revealed that he took up the job at Real Sociedad only after confirming the decision with his ‘mentor’ Alex Ferguson.

“I phoned Sir Alex about coming out and he spoke about the job and the opportunity, which he thought was a great one for me. He thought it would be a good chance and something very few British managers get the opportunity to do.”

However the former United and Everton manager claims that his business with United is all in the past and he is now completely focused on getting on with the job at Real Sociedad. Terming his new appointment as the ‘biggest challenge’ in his career, Moyes is hoping to do a ‘Everton’ at Real Sociedad.

“I’m looking forward to getting back out on the grass and working and coaching again. This for me is a big challenge to come away and take on a big Spanish club who are at the wrong end of the table and need to be pulled up.”

“It’s probably my biggest challenge because it is a different country and you come here not actually knowing the players as directly as you might back home.”